Whether you're in the market for a new laptop or desktop, now is the time to upgrade your office setup with these awesome deals happening today at Dell.
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Samsung is stepping into new territory as it has revealed its very first OLED gaming monitor. the aptly named Odyssey OLED G8 and it’s packed to the gills with features.
The most notable aspect of the G8 is its blazing fast response rate, which clocks in at just 0.1ms, or 1/10th the typical 1ms response rate of some of the best gaming monitors around. Not just that, the ultra-thin form factor and high quality display output make this one of the best ultrawide monitors you'll find.
The Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 is a 34-inch monitor with a 21:9 aspect ratio and a thickness of 3.9mm (around 0.15 inches), which the company claims is the thinnest for a product of its size. It’s even slightly curved with a curvature rating of 1800R for greater immersion.
At maximum, the G8 monitor can output at Quad HD resolution (3330 x 1440 pixels) while sporting a 175 Hz refresh rate, pitting it against the best high refresh rate monitors going. This refresh rate and extremely low response rate translates into a gaming monitor that strikes the perfect balance between esports performance and gorgeous OLED-powered visuals – so yes, esports gamers can now have both.
The G8 comes with the company’s Quantum Dot Technology to ensure colors don’t look washed out at high brightness. If you look at the official Quantum Dot Technology page, Samsung claims that typical OLED monitors compromise on color if the brightness level is turned up high, losing image quality. It also claims OLEDs lose efficacy over time and become more “susceptible to burn-in, or ghosts of images…”
Quantum Dot Technology lights up the display via nanoparticles on every pixel to maintain saturated colors at high brightness while also reducing the chance of burn-in over the long run. In return, the G8 can boast a “100 percent color volume” and can replicate 99.3 percent of the DCI-P3 (Digital Cinema Initiatives - Protocol 3) color space, which is an image standard created by the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers. At 99.3 percent, the monitor can almost display the entire color gamut.
If these Quantum Dot Technology isn't enough, the G8 is also VESA DisplayHDR 400 True Certified which is a relatively recent standard that came out in 2021 to ensure more accurate color and greater contrast for shadows. Gamers will enjoy AMC FreeSync Premium for fluid gameplay that isn’t bogged down by graphics card latency problems or screen tearing.
As a gaming monitor, there are indeed some gamer-centric features, beyond the intense response rate. The first of which is the multitude of media hubs present on the G8's user interface.
Samsung’s Smart Hub gives access to various streaming sites like Amazon Prime, YouTube, and Samsung TV Plus – also present is a IoT (internet of things) hub that allows users to check up on any device directly connected to the G8 – in addition to the Gaming Hub for direct access to various video game streaming services like NVIDIA’s GeForce Now, Xbox Game Pass, and even Google Stadia if you have that.
We reached out to Samsung asking for clarification on how devices can connect to the IoT hub. For example, does the G8 have Bluetooth connectivity. And what other streaming services are supported besides Netflix. We’ll update if Samsung gets back to us.
Rounding out the gaming features are a few hardware additions. Samsung added CoreSync and CoreLighting Plus RGB lights on the back for a more immersive experience. Equipped ports include one for Micro HDMI, a Mini DisplayPort, and some USB-C inputs. Sound is emitted from a 5W stereo speaker, but not much else is known about its capabilities.
Also unknown is the price tag and release date, but Samsung does say to expect a global launch sometime in Q4 2022. So it’s entirely possible the Odyssey OLED G8 could launch as early as October, but that’s probably wishful thinking. It’s certainly an impressive monitor and we can't wait to get our hands on one.
A monitor like the G8 will almost certainly be expensive. If you’re looking for a low-cost option, check out our best cheap gaming monitor deals page for the latest savings on today's best displays.
The latest Apple Watch deals are regularly discounting luxury smartwatches, sometimes by considerable amounts. All you need to do to take advantage is browse in the right place at the right time. If you time it correctly, you could grab a premium piece of wrist candy for a fraction of the original MSRP.
We're making sure you're always on top of even the most fleeting Apple Watch sales, with price comparison technology bringing you all the web's lowest prices just below. You'll find all the best discounts across the current lineup here, updated every half hour. We've been tracking these savings for years now, so we're also rounding up all the retailers we regularly check for the heaviest savings further down the page as well.
The Apple Watch 7 has had a few months on the shelves now, and so is primed for some major discounts. However, we'd also keep a close eye on sixth generation and SE Apple Watch deals for even bigger savings and record low prices. We're rounding up all the latest offers on all these models, to make sure you're getting the best value for money possible whatever your budget.
You'll find today's best Apple Watch deals below, comparing prices for every model, including the Apple Watch 7, the Series 6, the Apple Watch SE, Apple Watch 5, and the Apple Watch Series 3. You can also look forward to upcoming bargains during the 2022 Amazon Prime Day event.
Apple's latest and greatest smartwatch
OS: watchOS 7 | Compatibility: iOS | Display: 41mm - 45mm always-on | Processor: S7 dual-core | Onboard storage: 32GB | Battery: 18 hours | Charging method: Wireless | IP rating: IP6X | Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, GPS
The all-new Apple Watch 7 was unveiled in October of last year and includes a 70% brighter Always-On display, faster charging, and 20% more screen area, making it easier to use and read. The design also got a refresh with softer and more rounded edges and new sizes of 41mm and 45mm. The Apple Watch 7 still includes all the nifty features of the Series 6 smartwatch, such as blood oxygen monitoring, an ECG app, and activity tracking.
While the Series 7 is Apple's latest and greatest smartwatch, we've already seen impressive Apple Watch 7 deals, so you should never have to pay the full retail price.
A feature rich smartwatch
OS: watchOS 7 | Compatibility: iOS | Display: 40mm - 44mm always-on | Processor: S6 dual-core | Onboard storage: 32GB | Battery: 18 hours | Charging method: Wireless | IP rating: IPX7 | Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, GPS
The Apple Watch 6, debuted in September of 2020 with an introductory price of $399 / £379 - the same baseline costs as the 2019 Series 5.
The feature-rich Apple Watch 6 comes with a few key upgrades over the Series 5 - namely a new blood oxygen monitor (with accompanying app) and a brand new S6 dual-core processor, which Apple claims is 20% faster than last year's model. Aside from these key upgrades, the always-on display is back, but it's been drastically improved with some neat new controls for notifications, allowing you to interact without fully waking up the watch.
You're also getting the latest watchOS 7 as standard with both of the new Apple Watches, which is bringing a few new fitness features, and a unique family sharing app that allows activities to be tracked across groups.
A new mid-tier option from Apple
OS: watchOS 7 | Compatibility: iOS | Display: 40mm - 44mm | Processor: S5 dual-core | Onboard storage: 32GB | Battery: 18 hours | Charging method: Wireless | IP rating: IPX7 | Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, GPS
The Apple Watch SE was released in 2020 alongside the Series 6 as a more affordable alternative, coming in at a starting price of $279 / £269.
The key features include the latest watchOS 7, which will enable this device to access many of the new upgrades the more expensive Series 6 is rocking, but at a more affordable price point. Internally you're also getting the same altimeter, gyroscope, and accelerometer as the Series 6 - enough for all the main fitness apps, but you're missing out on the brand new blood oxygen monitor.
All in all, this watch is definitely more stripped down than the fancier Series 6, but considering you're getting roughly the same amount of power on tap as the Series 5 at a lower price point and the new watchOS 7 - it's excellent value and one of our favorite Apple Watch deals.
Rare discounts on an excellent smartwatch
OS: watchOS 6 | Compatibility: iOS | Display: 40mm and 44mm OLED | Processor: S5 dual-core | Onboard storage: 32GB | Battery: 18 hours | Charging method: Wireless | IP rating: IPX7 | Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, GPS
The Apple Watch 5 was released in 2019 with a starting price of $399 / £399 / AU$649 for the 40mm size and cost $429 / £429 / AU$699 for the larger 44mm size.
The Series 5 smartwatch now features an Always-on Retina display - fixing one of the users' biggest frustrations with the previous models. The dimmed display will now display your current watch face at all times, lighting up when the watch detects the same wrist motion that would previously trigger the screen to wake. It also includes new location features like a built-in compass and an updated Map app.
On release, many users started reporting a decrease in battery life quality in the Series 5, an issue that didn't seem to improve by switching off the always-on display. This has since been resolved with the release of watchOS 6.1, suggesting that the battery-saving features of the always-on display weren't the issue at fault.
Thanks to the Apple Watch 6 and SE release, it's difficult to find deals on the Series 5, so if you see the smartwatch on sale, then we recommend taking advantage before it's too late.
A great watch at a lower price
OS: watchOS 6 | Compatibility: iOS | Display: 1.65" OLED | Processor: S3 dual-core | Onboard storage: 8GB | Battery: 18 hours | Charging method: Wireless | IP rating: IPX7 | Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, GPS Cellular
While the Apple Watch 3 was released back in 2017, it still remains a top-tier device in terms of fitness and longevity, with run and cycle tracking onboard and a water-resistant casing for swimming, plus the heart rate monitor on the underside. And the LTE version comes with cellular connectivity so you can use it independently from your phone.
You will be losing some of the design benefits of the newer models by opting for this cheaper Apple Watch price. The smaller screen and case size doesn't hold you back, but there's a much nicer option on the market with the latest chassis designs. The watch itself is slightly thicker and runs on an older processor that won't have you blitzing through apps quite as quickly.
Nevertheless, the Apple Watch 3 still stands as a strong smartwatch solution, especially if you're looking for something cheaper to use for fitness or music only. It's far more affordable than the later models while still offering the latest software, and, thanks to Apple's continued support, it's generally found at most retailers. Essentially, Apple Watch deals will center around this essential feature set that offers amazing value for money.
Apple's hardware often comes with a high price tag, and the Apple Watch doesn't fall far from the tree. That said, if you're looking for a smartwatch to work with your iPhone, no other brand comes close to offering the functionality of Apple's own timepiece.
While the Apple Watch price is still higher than many other brands, you're paying for integration with a massive number of apps you're already using on your iPhone. Plus, with all the Apple Watch deals happening and the recent software updates to older models, you can easily grab a great bargain.
If you're looking for an Apple Watch deal with a Cellular plan, a phone carrier like Verizon, AT&T, or T-Mobile could be your best option. Purchasing an Apple Watch from a carrier allows you to make monthly payments, and you can typically find discounts, especially if you have an existing phone plan with them.
Bands are not one-size-fits-all-budgets
Your Apple Watch literally isn’t complete without the best deals on Apple Watch bands. They make the geeky smartwatch stylish enough to show off to late adopters.
In fact, you’re going to want multiple cheap Apple Watch straps simply because more elegant bands are far from ideal for the gym. Vice versa, Sport Bands don’t cut it at the fancy dinner table.
Everyday in the news, we see new cheap Apple Watch bands trying to become the de facto alternative to the more expensive, official Apple Watch bands, and they’re usually just as good. Trust us, buying a trio of third-party, lookalike Apple Watch bands for the price of one official strap is a relief after paying so much for the smartwatch itself.
AirPods deals can save you big bucks on in-ear buds and over-ear luxury cups alike, so you're covered whether you're after the cheapest price on the most affordable model or a sizeable saving on something more luxurious. Of course, the hefty price of the AirPods Max means these over-ear headphones often see the biggest discounts, but we do also regularly see sales on budget buds as well.
More affordable AirPods deals have offered savings of up to $80 / £80 in recent months, although these have indeed gone pretty quickly. Considering how premium Apple tech is, these AirPods deals have been pretty damn good in our books, and these once heftily priced earbuds are now much more obtainable.
If you've picked up a modern iPhone that's dumped the traditional headphone jack, the Apple AirPods rank amongst the best earphones to pair with your new phone. Although, as they're Bluetooth, you can pair them with plenty of other mobile phones and even laptops.
So, how much are AirPods, and how can you get the best AirPods deals out there? Our price comparison tool automatically brings you the best savings from all your favorite retailers so you can shop the latest prices as soon as they hit the shelves. You can also look out for upcoming discounts during the 2022 Prime Day deals event.
There are plenty of AirPods deals to be found for the 2019 version that come with a wireless charging case. The Apple Airpods cost a bit more with prices starting at $199 / £199 / AU$319, but wireless charging is a super convenient feature. The actual AirPods themselves are the same as the ones we mentioned above, so the case is the only difference between the two.
Just pop your AirPods into the snug charging case, close the lid, and put it on a Qi-certified wireless charging pad (sold separately) and that's it. Apple canceled the release of its own bespoke wireless charging pad, the Apple AirPower, which would have allowed for simultaneous charging of your iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods. But at least third-party pads are significantly cheaper than that one would have been.
So, how much are the 2019 AirPods, and how can you get the cheapest price possible? Directly below, you'll find the latest AirPods deals for the 2nd generation earbuds, which were first released in March of 2019. The Apple AirPods with Charging Case had a starting price of $159 / £159 / AU$249, but thanks to the release of newer models, we've seen the wireless earbuds drop as low as $99 / £99 / AU$99.
Compared to the older model, the visual design remains the same. But inside, you get a faster H1 processor chip, 50% more talk time, and hands-free Siri interactions. So seeing as the older models never really came down in price, the new 2019 AirPods are the best standard option to buy right now if the Pro's don't appeal. Look out for these features in the description to make sure you're getting the newest versions. This model comes with the standard charging case that provides a further 20 hours of battery life and up to three hours of talk time on a single charge.
The Apple AirPods Pro were released in October of last year with a starting price of $249 / £249 / AU$399. Thanks to the recent release of the AirPods Max, you'll be able to find plenty of AirPods Pro deals just below.
That's quite the jump in price compared to the regular AirPods, but the AirPods Pro are the first AirPods to include active noise-canceling technology to keep outside distractions away from your music, which is excellent for those noisy commutes or keeping your concentration going at work. That being said, you can activate a mode that allows some outside noise to filter through, which is useful if you prefer being able to hear things like traffic when running/cycling/walking or someone calling your name in the office.
The AirPods Pro are also water and sweat resistant making them much better suited to the gym than the standard AirPods, and they come with multiple tips so you can adjust to the best fit for you. The water resistance is IPX4 level, so we're talking the odd splash and light rain rather than full-on immersion.
The Apple AirPods Pro ship with a wireless charging case as standard. There is no cheaper version with a standard charging case, unlike the regular AirPods that give buyers the option of both.
Apple quietly released the AirPods Max in December, and they're available to buy right now if you can find them in stock. They don't come cheap though, in fact, the AirPods Max are the most expensive headphones from Apple with a starting price of $549.99 / £549.
The AirPods Max not only stand out because of their price, but the Apple headphones also feature an over-ear design, which is a first from the AirPods line. Apple claims the AirPods Max bring the magic of AirPods to an over-the-ear design, which means you're getting Active Noise Cancellation, powerful H1 Chips, and an enhanced audio experience.
The AirPods Max also feature a unique design with a breathable knit mesh headband and a stainless steel frame with memory foam earcups for ultimate comfort. The Apple headphones come in several sleek color choices such as space gray, silver, sky blue, green, and pink and provide up to 20 hours of battery life.
While we haven't seen any AirPods Max deals yet, we're hoping to see first-time price cuts during the upcoming Amazon Prime Day event.
The official AirPods' price is $159 in the US and £159 in the UK and $249 in Australia. So you shouldn't pay any more. Although, we have seen some stores cheekily push the price up when stock thins out. If you're looking for the version with the wireless charging case, then prices shoot up to around $199 in the US and £199 in the UK.
Expect the usual outlets to charge closer to the MSRP and, better yet, potentially dip below it around the key shopping seasons. Fingers crossed we don't have to wait long for some proper Apple AirPod sales though!
As an alternative, there are lots of wireless earphone and headphone deals in our Beats headphone deals page and other brands are covered in our wireless headphone deals page.
These models have been discontinued and phased out at most stores now. On the rare occasions that we do spot unused stock units, they're actually the same price as the new and improved 2019 versions.
Short version: get the 2019 models instead via one of the deals in the comparison chart above. To be sure they are the new ones, look out for H1 chip and hands-free Siri functionality in the description if the title doesn't say something along the lines of '2019' or 'latest/newest version'.
You might be waiting a while for seriously big discounts. Last year around Black Friday, we were seeing $20 discounts selling out in minutes, and it was one of the most popular deals we highlighted in our extensive roundups of the hottest offers. We saw similar discounts in the UK too - much better than last year's $7 discount but still no flash sales around right now.
Things have actually been better overall this year though with much better deals available in various regions. We're regularly seeing discounts of $15/£20 outside of peak seasonal discounts, so you should be able to beat the recommended asking price to be honest.
If your Outlook email is looking slightly different at the moment, don't panic - it's all part of a new update from Microsoft.
The company has made a number of layout changes to its email service as it looks to make the web version of Outlook more similar to its other iterations.
This has meant that a number of rather important options have now moved around a little - but they're all still there, we promise.
In a post on the official Microsoft 365 roadmap, the company has alerted users that Outlook on the web will "update the location of some of the compose options for a message" soon.
The changes include the "Send", "Discard", and formatting options. The post doesn't mention exactly where the options are moving too, but it should be very similar to the existing layout on the desktop version of Outlook, as Microsoft says that the change, "brings the experience in web closer to the classic and new Outlook for Windows."
The change is affecting users already, with the update post saying that it should come into force across September 2022.
The update is the latest change from Outlook as Microsoft looks to keep the program useful and intuitive for users everywhere.
The company has begun to roll out the new performance-focused version of Outlook to personal account holders recently.
Previously available to commercial customers only, the new “One Outlook” desktop app offers a clean, minimalist aesthetic in line with the Windows 11 design philosophy, and also houses related apps like Calendar and Contacts.
Crucially, the app brings with it the ability to manage Gmail, Yahoo and other inbox feeds inside Outlook, a boon for anyone that runs multiple email accounts across different service providers.
The company also recently unveiled a stripped-down version of Outlook that it says can run smoothly on even the most basic of Android smartphones. Available now, Outlook Lite offers all the key ingredients of the popular platform, but without the drain on battery life and system resources for those with low-end phones.
Sony has just announced its latest soundbar, the Sony HT-A3000, which is an all-in-one bar that's designed to deliver positional Dolby Atmos sound and great bass from a single box.
The Sony HT-A3000 will be available in October, and will cost £599 / $699, with an Australian launch yet to be confirmed.
Its speaker configuration is officially 3.1 channels, with three forward-firing speakers (left, right and center), and dual subwoofer units. There are no upfiring drivers for Dolby Atmos, but it does support the audio format, and it includes Sony's excellent sound processing that creates the impression of height and extra width – we've heard it before in the likes of the Sony HT-G700, and it's seriously impressive, landing that product a place in our list of the best soundbars.
You get HDMI eARC and optical input to get your sound into the bar, though there's no HDMI passthrough sadly – it seems an odd omission at this mid-range price, considering Sony has included it in cheaper options in the past.
It works with DTS:X as well as Dolby Atmos, and it also supports Sony's Acoustic Center Sync feature, which means that if you use it with compatible Sony Bravia XR TVs (such as the Sony X90J or Sony A80K), the TV's speakers will combine with the soundbar for an even bigger sound.
And it doesn't have to be a one-box soundbar if you don't want it to.
The design and features of this soundbar seem to be targeted straight at the success of the Sonos Arc – it offers the same kind of promise (immersive 3D sound and solid bass from a single box), but comes in at £300 / $200 cheaper than Sonos' option.
Now, it should be noted that the Sonos Arc features many more speaker drivers than this, including side- and up-firing drivers as well as forward-firing speakers. That gives it more directional power as well likely more dynamic sound (we're basing that on our experience with both the Arc and the Sony HT-G700).
However, not everyone counts the number of speakers. What they want is one of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars and maybe don't have the space or aesthetic desire for a separate subwoofer. And maybe they don't want to spend as much as the Sonos Arc costs.
That could cover a lot of people, and we think the price and feature combination here could tap into them really well. And like Sonos' soundbars, you can add more units for a more elaborate setup. You can add rear speakers for a full 5.1 surround setup, or an actual dedicated subwoofer, which will mean deeper and meatier bass than a soundbar alone can deliver. The Sony SA-RS3S rear speakers are the ideal match for the A3000, and they'll cost £449 / $349.
A security researcher has sounded the alarm over a portable SSD listed on both AliExpress and Walmart, which appears to be programmed to misrepresent its own storage capacity.
As reported by Ars Technica, a researcher that goes by the name of @RayRedacted on Twitter has published a teardown of an XGeek-branded SSD with a supposed capacity of 30TB, on sale for between $29-$39.
Upon close inspection, he found the manufacturer had likely meddled with the drive’s firmware in order to trick Windows into misreporting the available storage capacity, which in reality is far, far lower.
Suspicious of the capacity claims, @RayRedacted purchased the SSD in question from AliExpress. When he cracked it open, he found what appeared to be two microSD cards glued in a haphazard manner to a board.
A second red flag presented itself when the drive was plugged in. Although Windows reports drive capacity in gigabytes (GB), the OS actually measures in gibibytes (GiB) and tebibytes (TiB), which is why 1TB drives typically appear to have a capacity of roughly 930GB. But in this case, the SSD presented itself as two separate drives, each with a capacity of precisely 15TB.
This discrepancy is attributed by @RayRedacted to a firmware hack that allows for a low-capacity drive (perhaps as small as 1GB or less) to register a much larger capacity. “When you go to write a big file, hacked firmware simply writes all new data on top of old data, while keeping directory intact (sic),” he explained.
What’s more, the manufacturer appears to have taken steps to slow down the bus speed too, such that tests designed to verify the drive’s genuine capacity would take in excess of a year to complete.
The claims set out in the Twitter thread are corroborated by the Walmart reviews section, which is full of comments from unhappy customers.
“Do not buy this,” one reviewer wrote. “This piece of garbage does not work, in any way, shape or form”. Others reported that only one in every hundred files transferred successfully, speeds were slow and file corruption commonplace.
TechRadar Pro has asked AliExpress, Walmart and JD E Commerce America Limited (the merchant) for comment.
Even when AAA game releases wind down until the next big release season, there are still plenty of delectable indie morsels that can tide you over or even create its own tasty and uniquely flavored meal.
This week we have plenty of indie games to suit any palette, from the monochrome horror of Silt to the dark rogue-like action of Cult of the Lamb or the retro game love letter Arcade Paradise.
So if you're looking for some of the best PC games we're playing here at TechRadar, check out our list and dive right into the buffet of delicious PC games.
Silt is described as a surreal underwater puzzle-adventure game, in which you control a deep sea diver as they explored the murky depths of the pitch black ocean to uncover its mysteries. Its monochrome palette paired with its frightening yet almost children’s picture book graphical style creates a unique blend of tension that sticks with you long after the game’s completion.
Silt plays like a classic side-scrolling platformer in which you mainly avoid both obstacles and enemies while exploring vast environment and uncover hidden secrets. Both the environments and monsters are drop dead gorgeous, with intricate details and an excellent contrast between light and dark to flesh those details out.
What is especially impressive about Silt is how fluidly the diver moves through water. The controls are tight and responsive, refreshing for a horror game as it derives the horror aspects from the atmosphere created by the visuals, music, and sound effects rather than poor controls.
In the same vein as titles like The Binding of Isaac, Cult of the Lamb is a rogue-like that throws random events and enemies at you as you attempt to keep your cult happy, busy, and properly controlled. The animal-people trope gives this game even more whiplash as you witness adorable animals wielding terrifying powers or being violently killed.
For fans of the rogue-like genre, the gameplay is smooth and frenetic with excellent animation that rarely slows down. Despite its adorable look, this game is hardcore and doesn’t let up on the challenge one bit. It’s surprisingly robust, with plenty of ways to upgrade your character as well as the cult.
I really, really love the presentation. The vibrant colors, the details, the tight controls, the fact that I am playing as the cutest and most violent lamb in existence. This game is gory for sure but it offers so much more than that, which is why it’s been so talked about since its launch.
The indie scene has truly embraced the retro aesthetic, as plenty of games are developed using 8-bit and 16-bit sprite art, N64/PlayStation-esque polygon graphics, or even the 1-bit style of old Japanese PC games from the 80s and 90s.
Arcade Paradise is its own tribute to the arcade fever that shook the 80s and 90s of America. At first it seems like a first-person trash collecting simulator with some retro UI thrown in for flavor, but as soon as your character ventures into the back of the laundromat and steps into the hidden arcade room, you can truly see this game for what it is.
The trash collecting and other life-sim aspects are an excuse for you to dump coins into several retro-styled arcade machines and play some of the most addictive and well-thought out minigames I’ve ever gotten my hands on. It’s an absolute treat and would highly recommend to any millennial wanting to recapture the magic of your childhood, or even younger generations who might have missed out on the magic of old school arcades.
"Another rogue-like?", you say with disdain. And I correct you with it’s actually a roguelite with a smug grin on my face. But this is in a completely different style from Cult of the Lamb, which was a cutesy game with unforgiven gameplay, as Last Stand: Aftermath is a more visually realistic game with somewhat more forgiving gameplay.
Part of the Last Stand series, Aftermath follows a group of people surviving a zombie apocalypse. It plays a bit like Hades, including the fact that they’re the same genre, in which the environments and enemies thrown at you are procedurally generated. There’s a strong element of resource management here, as well as plenty of other gameplay mechanics that need to be kept up with as you take down the hordes of zombies chasing after you.
There have been plenty of updates and fixes since its launch and the two-man team continues to work on polishing this hidden gem. But even now, the gameplay rarely ever gets dull and there’s tons of new content to liven up the formula. Plus, since it’s a roguelite it’s much friendlier to new players unfamiliar with the genre.
What if in Mario Golf, instead of playing a nice game of golf with your friends and frenemies, you got trapped in Golf Purgatory and had to keep golfing to become a Golfing Legend and escape? Well you can find out by playing a sprite-styled rogue-like called Cursed to Golf.
Cursed to Golf is a fully fleshed out golfing game that accurately replicates the physics of golf including swing angles and obstacles. It procedurally generates each environment in a game, creating a brand new and difficult puzzle to golf through every time.
Having to master not only each club type and use it to safely get the ball through some of the toughest sections while avoiding water and sand traps can feel diabolic at times. But the smooth animations and strong physics engine lessen the frustration and instead do what many rougue-likes fail to, which is make the difficulty feel rewarding on its own merit and not yet another obstacle to conquer.
Valve will be pushing out a Steam Deck 2 in the future, according to an eBook which has been recently published by the firm on the subject of its handheld gaming PC and SteamOS.
The free booklet (which Gaming On Linux flagged up) makes it clear in no uncertain terms that there will be a sequel to the Steam Deck, doing so in numerous places in the final chapter which focuses on the topic of the future. Indeed, the chapter title itself mentions that there will be “more Steam Decks” as well as further versions of the SteamOS operating system.
Valve writes: “In the future, Valve will follow up on this product with improvements and iterations to hardware and software, bringing new versions of Steam Deck to market.”
And a bit later, the company mentions the Steam Deck is a “multi-generational product line”, and that it’ll “build new versions to be even more open and capable than the first version of Steam Deck has been.” Which is pretty open and capable as it is, of course.
It’s good to hear Valve announce its intention to produce a future sequel to the Steam Deck, and while that’s something the company has talked about before, it’s clear enough that this time, things are couched in firmer terms about there being multiple generations of the handheld.
In the booklet, Valve also asks what gamers would like to see in a future incarnation of the Steam Deck, and we’ve already had some hints as to what kind of changes might be implemented. These range from the given, like making the Steam Deck 2 more powerful, and innovating around the device’s portable nature, to the much less obvious such as something VR-related that Valve’s co-founder, Gabe Newell, has mentioned in the past.
The fact that Valve has some serious long-term plans for future versions of the Steam Deck should come as no surprise, given how popular the handheld has been, in terms of that lengthy (and still very much ongoing) queue for pre-orders, as well as the critical acclaim which has generally been visited on the device. Maybe it won’t be too long before we start getting some leaks about exactly what features or hardware Valve is considering for the Steam Deck 2.
Media streaming platform Plex has been hacked with user passwords and personal data stolen, the company has confirmed.
Plex sent out an email notification to its users explaining the situation, and asking them to change passwords as soon as possible.
The email noted a “limited subset” of accounts had been compromised, but the stolen data was “hashed and secured in accordance with best practices”.
No more details have been provided, including how the breach happened, how many users were affected, or whether or not the passwords were salted.
The only thing we do know is that payment data was not stolen, as Plex says it does not keep that kind of data around, and that whatever hole the threat actor crawled through, was patched. Plex “already addressed the method that this third-party employed to gain access to the system,” it said.
It is also worth mentioning that users were “kindly requested” to change their passwords, suggesting that the update isn’t mandatory. Regardless, people rushed to change their login credentials, but many couldn’t do it, as Plex’s servers collapsed under the increased traffic.
This is not the first time Plex's cybersecurity issues have made the headlines. In early 2021, it was discovered that DDoS-for-hire services were leveraging some security flaws in Plex Media Server systems as a UDP reflection/amplification vector in DDoS attacks.
This is not the first time Plex's cybersecurity issues have made the headlines. In early 2021, it was discovered that DDoS-for-hire services were leveraging some security flaws in Plex Media Server systems as a UDP reflection/amplification vector in DDoS attacks.
The company was quick to react to the news, issuing a software patch that fixed the problem.
Via: The Register
Struggling through a foreign-language Zoom call could soon be a thing of the past thanks to a new update.
The video conferencing platform has revealed translated captions will soon be available to users, with 12 languages initially supported.
However, not everyone will get the new addition, as you'll need to have a paid Zoom account, and then pay for an extra add-on in order to enjoy the feature.
Zoom says translated captions reduce the need for interpreters and third-party integrations so you can foster a more inclusive environment in every meeting and webinar.
"Whether you’re a large company conducting business in multiple languages or a global university with multinational enrollment, translated captions help bridge language gaps," said the firm.
As well as the captions being translated and displayed in real-time, the translated captions will appear in the full recording transcript if a meeting or webinar is recorded - but not on the recording itself.
The initial supported languages are Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Ukrainian, with Mandarin, Japanese and Korean also available in beta.
The add-on is available with any paid Zoom license for $5/month per user, but any license type within a paid account (including Basic) can leverage this feature when purchased.
Once enabled via the Zoom web portal, translated captions follow a host’s configured settings, meaning that once turned on by the host, all participants and attendees can use them in their meeting or webinar. Full transcripts can be toggled on whilst in a meeting, with the text displayed in a window on the right side of the interface.
The launch comes days after Zoom's great rival Microsoft Teams also announced that live translated captions will be coming to its platform.
When starting and setting up a call, Microsoft Teams users will be able to select live captions in the language of their choice, helping them gain better understanding with other participants.
If you're looking for an inexpensive tablet connected to a fast cellular data network there are shockingly few options available. The new TCL Tab 10 5G will cost $300 and run on T-Mobile’s 5G network, making it a great value option if you want a backseat tablet for travel with its own connectivity. The ten-inch display is much bigger than the next cheapest option, and the battery is large enough that it should last through long trips.
The only tablet less expensive than the TCL Tab 10 is the Samsung Galaxy A7 Lite tablet, which uses only an eight-inch display but costs $100 less. For only $100 more, you get quite a step up with the TCL Tab 10. You get a larger screen, the 10.1” full HD display made by TCL’s NXTVISION group. You also get a much larger battery, an 8,000mAh cell compared to the 5,100mAh battery on the smaller Galaxy Tab.
The TCL Tab 10 has an 8MP camera on the back and a 5MP camera on the front for selfies. That front camera can also handle face unlocking for security measures, a very nice option for quick access to a tablet, especially for young ones.
This new Tab 10 runs Android 12 but includes a scant 4GB of RAM with only 32GB of storage space (after the system software), but that should be just enough for basic movies and Web browsing. Faster gaming and multitasking would be more difficult since it's running on the MediaTek Kompanio 800T processor.
TCL also makes a Tab Pro tablet, available on Verizon’s network, for $100 more, but that tablet has very similar specs. You get a potentially more powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 processor, but a similar screen size and resolution, and the same 4GB of RAM and 8,000mAh battery. The cameras are a bit higher resolution, but it ships with Android 11, and TCL is unproven with Android system updates. The Tab Pro also gives you 64GB of storage, a fingerprint reader, and microSD card expansion, for more professional use.
For much more power than this, you’d have to take a major step up in price. Apple’s cheapest iPad costs $160 more for a cellular-connected option. A Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE connected to T-Mobile starts at $669, more than twice what this tablet costs. For that price, you get a device that can replace a small laptop or Chromebook.
We’ve asked for a closer look at the TCL Tab 10 5G to see if it could be our favorite bargain tablet that you can connect to a superfast network. Check back for our full review.
The maker of popular tax software platform TurboTax is facing a major legal battle with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) over claims it misled customers.
Parent company Intuit is facing an FTC lawsuit over false advertising concerning its "free" platform, which the body claims has become less available in recent years.
If ruled against the company, the suit could allow millions of "free" TurboTax users to claim for losses or damages.
The FTC claims that Intuit is running a "bait-and-switch" operation for free TurboTax users, luring them in with the promise of a free service. However, after the user has gone through the lengthy process of entering all their personal information into the platform, TurboTax then demands a fee to file the return.
The FTC says that many users affected in this way simply pay the fee to get the process finished, with two-thirds of users who filed with TurboTax in 2020 were ineligible for the platform's free tier.
The suit follows several months of wrangling between the FTC and Intuit, and comes shortly after the company agreed to pay out $141 million to settle a separate lawsuit brought by several US states over exactly the same accusation.
Intuit had said that the settlement of this case, "affords the public all of the material relief the FTC seeks to obtain through this action," but the FTC continued to press its case, ruling that "the public interest warrants further litigation."
The FTC filed its case against Intuit back in March 2022, noting that, "the commission is asking a federal court to put an immediate halt to Intuit advertising and has also authorized the filing of an administrative complaint alleging that the company's practices are illegal."
A preliminary date of March 27, 2023 has now be set for a hearing - just a few days ahead of the traditional April 15 deadline for US citizens to file individual income tax returns, one of the busiest times for TurboTax users (although the upcoming 2023 deadline will be Tuesday April 18).
Via The Register
Cybercriminals are increasingly turning towards legitimate Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions to launch, distribute, and advertise their campaigns, security researchers have reported.
Unit 42, the cybersecurity arm of Palo Alto Networks, has published a report which found the abuse of such services soared by 1,100% in a span of a year between June 2021 and 2022.
All kinds of services are being abused: file sharing sites, hosting tools, form and survey builders, website design sites, and collaboration tools, to name a few. Website builders, collaboration platforms, and form builders were also said to have experienced the highest uptick in abuse in the last year.
Unit 42 says the rising popularity of these tools among crooks can be attributed, first and foremost, to the fact that they are legitimate, and as such, often pass through various fraud and scam filters, including email security solutions.
But it can also be attributed to the fact that they’re super easy and convenient to use, and allow for the quick upscaling and downscaling of campaigns.
What’s more, should law enforcement agencies take down a phishing page, for example, the crooks can simply change the link and have it point elsewhere, while avoiding the gruntwork of having to design the page from scratch. That being said, the tools are built with newbies in mind, which eliminates the need to know how to code, or be well-versed in website, or form, design.
Palo Alto Networks isn’t the only company warning about the abuse of legitimate SaaS solutions, either. As reported by BleepingComputer, Cyren has been warning about the “rampant abuse” of typeform.com since mid-2021, while Trend Micro warned of 123formbuilder.com, formtools.com, as well as smartsurvey.co.uk. Cofense was warning about the abuse of canva.com, as well.
Stopping the abuse of these services, the publication says, will be relatively challenging, as implementing “aggressive email filters” can do more harm than good.
Via: BleepingComputer
The Arena series is SteelSeries’ new line of gaming speakers, desktop PC-focused speakers offering premium features with the most expensive models.
According to The Verge, there are three models in total: Arena 3, Arena 7, and Arena 9, the latter of which is easily one of the best computer speakers on the market right now.
The Arena 3 is the no-frills option with four-inch drivers for PCs, Macs, and other compatible devices. The Arena 7 takes that base model and adds programmable RGB lighting, subwoofers, and PlayStation compatibility.
The Arena 9 model upgrades to a 5.1 surround sound thanks to the added center wedge speaker, two wireless wall-mountable rear channels, and a small desktop control pad with an OLED display that you can plug into the subwoofers.
The Arena 3 costs $129.99, the Arena 7 is priced at a mid-range $299.99, and the high-end Arena 9 will cost you whopping $549.99. There’s also a $99 ear-mounted 2.4GHz wireless microphone released along with the speakers, which charges via USB Type-C.
Though most gaming products see yearly releases for nearly any brand in the market, dedicated gaming speakers seem to have very little in the way of variety, with many gamers forced to rely on non-gaming speakers for that sweet surround sound setup.
That’s what makes SteelSeries’ Arena series such a great product. Not only is it from a trusted brand that churns out some of the best gaming mice, best PC gaming headsets, and best gaming keyboards around, but that it targets such an underutilized market and does so at the three major price points is a great thing for customers.
And, judging by our glowing review of the Arena 9 model, these are excellent speakers that are sure to enhance your gaming experience.
Having your Google Meet calls interrupted by overzealous smart assistants should soon be a thing of the past thanks to a new update.
The company has revealed a new Google Workspace update that tweaks how its smart assistant reacts when users are in a video conference, including how it responds to possible alerts and triggers - specifically, saying "Hey Google" to activate the service.
The change means Google Assistant will now only be active when a device is not in a meeting, as well as only being active in the 10 minutes leading to an upcoming meeting.
In its post on the Google Workspace update blog, the company noted that not having “Hey Google” active during meetings should help reduce accidental activation when on a call.
"We know 'Hey Google' voice control provides an easy and convenient way to join an upcoming meeting, or to help improve accessibility for users," it added.
"However, we’ve heard from our customers that due to the increase in teams transitioning to hybrid meetings, the 'Hey Google' control can unintentionally be triggered during meetings. We hope this improvement helps reduce any accidental disruptions during your calls."
The update is rolling out now to all Google Workspace customers, as well as G Suite Basic and Business customers. The company says it will be available for all supported Google Meet hardware devices that have not yet reached their auto-update expiration date.
It has also added several new devices to support the “Hey Google” voice control to include Logitech Rally Bar, Logitech Rally Bar Mini and the upcoming launch of the Series One Desk 27.
The news is the latest Google Meet update as the company looks to ensure its software is as useful as possible for customers everywhere. It comes shortly after the platform finally added improved support for USB accessories such as headsets or microphones.
Going forward, users will be able to toggle between mute and unmute using headsets, speaker microphones, and other USB peripherals.
Cryptocurrencies may be losing value against the dollar right now, but they are still a very desirable asset for cybercriminals everywhere.
According to a new Microsoft report, the popularity of cryptojacking is still relatively high and new malware variants are coming with advanced features and new ways to avoid detection.
In a blog post, Microsoft explained it detects cryptojackers on “hundreds of thousands” endpoints every month via its in-built Windows antivirus service.
Cryptojackers are a type of malware that mines specific cryptocurrencies and sends the coins to a wallet owned by the hackers. The malware will not destroy the device it infects, and is not interested in stealing sensitive data from the victim, but will absorb much of the device’s computing power.
For that reason, cryptojacking operators are usually not interested in consumer-grade devices, but have rather set their sights on servers and virtual machines, which are usually more powerful and capable of mining more tokens, as compared to regular PCs and laptops.
Among the most popular cryptojackers is XMRig, a piece of malware mining the Monero token (XMR). Monero is a relatively old cryptocurrency, one that promises full anonymity to its users and, as such, is immensely popular among crooks and people dealing in illegal trade.
Bitcoin, together with other cryptocurrencies, has been in a decline for the entire year. After hitting a high of approximately $68,000 in November last year, the world’s most popular cryptocurrency fell to roughly $17,000, before rebounding to the current $21,000.
Despite the unfavorable outlook at the moment, cybercriminals are still developing cryptojackers. Microsoft says the latest ones have become stealthier, “leveraging living-off-the-land binaries (LOLBins) to evade detection".
Most antivirus solutions should be able to spot them, though. Microsoft says it is able to detect cryptojacking by, among other things, analyzing CPU signals for patterns modeled after cryptojacking activity.
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